summary judgment

noun

The determination by a court that no factual issues are in dispute, and that the legal issues require the case to be decided in favor of one party or the other.

Similar
summary judgementjudgment on the pleadingsjudgement on the pleadings
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Meanings

nounsummary judgment (countable and uncountable, plural summary judgments)

plural summary judgments

  1. countableuncountablelawThe determination by a court that no factual issues are in dispute, and that the legal issues require the case to be decided in favor of one party or the other.

Synonyms & antonyms

nouna judgment rendered by the court prior to a verdict because no material issue of fact exists and one party or the other is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law

Similar
summary judgementjudgment on the pleadingsjudgement on the pleadings
Broader
judgmentjudgementjudicial decision

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Cite this entry
APA

summary judgment. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/summary%20judgment

MLA

“summary judgment.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/summary%20judgment. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “summary judgment,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/summary%20judgment.

Source: summary judgment on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.